Controlled flying kite

ABSTRACT

The kite comprises a sail of flexible fabric, having a relatively large central opening, the sail being held distended by a lateral bar customarily having its ends received in pockets at the lateral margins of the sail, and by two spaced longitudinal bars extending from base to top of the sail and similarly held at their ends and in sleeves in the sail fabric. Carried by the lateral bar is a control strut projecting forwwardly and carrying a transversely extended conntrol bar which is preferably substantially rigid, but which may flex to a limited degree. The control strut receives and holds a third longitudinal bar extending from top to bottom of the sail, the latter having pockets to receive the ends of the longitudinal bar. Since bar is held by the control strut at the fore end of the latter, the third and central longitudinal bar contours the sail centrally and from top to bottom and forwardly, forming a cambered profile of the sail, greatest in the middle and decreasing toward the sail upper and lower tips, the first mentioned longitudinal bars being bowed. In use of the structure, pull cords attached to the ends of the control bar ends are manipulated, and if desired these cords may be attached to a single manipulating line operated by the user.

United States Patent [191 Dunford CONTROLLED FLYING KITE Donald Dunford, 554 Bandbury Rd, Oxford. England [22] Filed: Aug. 6, 1973 [2]] Appl. No: 386,034

[76] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Paul E Sauberer ABSTRACT The kite comprises a sail of flexible fabric, having a [451 July 1,1975

relatively large central opening, the sail being held distended by a lateral bar customarily having its ends received in pockets at the lateral margins of the sail, and by two spaced longitudinal bars extending from base to top of the sail and similarly held at their ends and in sleeves in the sail fabric. Carried by the lateral bar is a control strut projecting forwwardly and carrying a transversely extended conntrol bar which is preferably substantially rigid, but which may flex to a limited degree. The control strut receives and holds a third longitudinal bar extending from top to bottom of the sail, the latter having pockets to receive the ends of the longitudinal bar. Since bar is held by the control strut at the fore end of the latter, the third and central longitudinal bar contours the sail centrally and from top to bottom and forwardly, forming a cambered profile of the sail, greatest in the middle and decreasing toward the sail upper and lower tips, the first mentioned longitudinal bars being bowed. ln use of the structure, pull cords attached to the ends of the control bar ends are manipulated, and if desired these cords may be attached to a single manipulating line operated by the user.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CONTROLLED FLYING KITE The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a front elevation of the kite.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the kite.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the kite.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the kite.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view looking at the front of the kite, as in flight.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the kite structure comprises, basically, a sail 1, three longitudinal bars, 2, 3, 4, which stretch the sail, the central bar 3 being bowed forwardly by a control strut 5 projecting forwardly from a transverse bar 6 laterally stretching the sail. Also carried by the control strut 5 is a control bar 7 to the ends of which are connected the pull cords indicated at 8, and the latter are shown as having hand grips 8x. It will further be noted that the sail has a central open area crossed by the transverse bar 6. The sail may be made of cloth or flexible platic, and preferably of somewhat porous cloth., and the margins of the sail are in practice formed with pockets to receive the bars 2, 3, 4, and 6.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the control strut 5 is formed with an end slot, to receive the central bar 3, and a lateral passageway for reception of the control bar, the latter abutting the said bar 3.

The dimensions of the longitudinal bar elements, which in terms usually used in connection with aeroplanes, can be termed longerons, and shown by designations 2, 3, and 4, and of the control strut 5, are such that the said longerons are bowed in the vertical dimension, as indicated in FIG. 4, by the abutment of the control strut 5 on the horizontal, and hence transverse bar 6, and the longitudinal bar 3, and the sail conforms and is stretched accordingly. Also at the top and the bottom of the substantial opening in the sail the wall areas thereat are pressed fowardly into V-shape, as shown more particularly in the perspective view FIG. 5. It will be understood that in the drawings, the designations 2, 3, 4, designate the longitudinal bars, either in practice within sleeves of the sail or exterior thereof, according to the endeavor for clarity of illustration.

Thus the bar longerons (bars) 2 and 4 define upper and lower V-shaped portions or channels in the sail, in each case of which the longeron (bar) 3 forms the apex of the channel, both sail channels meeting the large opening in the sail.

l have found that the said opening in the sail as shown by the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, is best at about l6 percent of the total sail area; also I have found that the said opening in the sail plus the V- channel sail areas at the top and bottom thereof, having different camber and relative incidence, are effective to stabilize the kite in pitch, acting in effect as aerofoils in tandem. The attachment of the pull cords 8, that is to say the kite lines, below the aerofoil area and to the ends of the control bar 7, also adds to the factor of stability in pitch.

By reference to FIGS. l and 5, it will be seen that bracing lines 9 are attached to the tops of the longitudinal bars 2 and 4, each line then being connected to one end of the control bar 7 and running down with connection to the center longitudinal bar 3. This line 9, in

a minor variation, may extend from the outer ends of the control bar 7 to the lower ends of the longitudinal bars 2 and 4.

It will be understood that the aforesaid variation and others within the spirit of the invention may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its position of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, in combination with a control strut forming the means for projecting the control bar, said strut holding and spacing said control bar relatively to the sail and holding and spacing the transverse bar from the control bar, at least one of the bars extending longitudinally of the sail being carried by said strut and held therby longitudinally spaced forwardly of said transverse bar said sail having a substantial opening in its center area, said longitudinal bar carried by the strut crossing said opening and forming V-shaped channels of the sail meeting said opening therein.

2. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its position of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, in which the transverse bar bears against at least two of the bars extending longitudinally of the sail, and which are relatively spaced, a longitudinally extending bar disposed intermediate said two longitudinally extending bars, a control strut carrying the transverse bar and carrying said intermediate longitudinally extending bar spaced therefrom in such manner as impose stress on the sail and to bow the remaining longitudinally extending bars, and the sail.

3. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its condition of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, the sail being of pliable fabric held extended laterally by the transverse bar, the latter bearing against at least two of the longitudinal bars, a forwardly projecting control strut carrying said transverse bar at its rearward end, an additional longitudinal bar element carried by said control strut at its forward end and bearing against the sail in a forwardly directed manner so that said additional longitudinal bar element produces a V-shaped channel formation centrally and longitudinally in the sail and in opposition to the first named longitudinal bars so that they are bowed, said channel formation of the sail being interrupted by an opening in the sail at its central area, said opening having a transverse width les than the distance between top and bottom thereof. 

1. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its position of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, in combination with a control strut forming the means for projecting the control bar, said strut holding and spacing said control bar relatively to the sail and holding and spacing the transverse bar from the control bar, at least one of the bars extending longitudinally of the sail being carried by said strut and held therby longitudinally spaced forwardly of said transverse bar said sail having a substantial opening in its center area, said longitudinal bar carried by the strut crossing said opening and forming V-shaped channels of the sail meeting said opening therein.
 2. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its position of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, in which the transverse bar bears against at least two of the bars extending longitudinally of the sail, and which are relatively spaced, a longitudinally extending bar disposed intermediate said two longitudinally extending bars, a control strut carrying the transverse bar and carrying said intermediate longitudinally extending bar spaced therefrom in such manner as impose stress on the sail and to bow the remaining longitudinally extending bars, and the sail.
 3. A kite comprising a sail, means holding the sail in extended condition and consisting of a plurality of bars extending longitudinally of the sail in its condition of use, and at least one transverse bar engaging the side margins of the sail, a transverse control bar to the ends of which two kite lines may be attached, and means projecting and holding said control bar substantially spaced from the kite sail, the sail being of pliable fabric held extended laterally by the transverse bar, the latter bearing against at least two of the longitudinal bars, a forwardly projecting control strut carrying said transverse bar at its rearward end, an additional longitudinal bar element carried by said control strut at its forward end and Bearing against the sail in a forwardly directed manner so that said additional longitudinal bar element produces a V-shaped channel formation centrally and longitudinally in the sail and in opposition to the first named longitudinal bars so that they are bowed, said channel formation of the sail being interrupted by an opening in the sail at its central area, said opening having a transverse width les than the distance between top and bottom t thereof. 